Hammer



April 1, 1930. J. L. CLARK 1,752,588

I HAMMER Filed May 29, 1928 Inventor By Q06 1;

Attornq Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHIE JOHN L. CLARK, OF SCOTTDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VIALTER A. YOHO, OF SCOTTDALE, PENNSYLVANIA HAIYIMER Application filed May :39,

The present invention relates to hammers and has for its principal object to provide a nail clamping means at the one side of the head of the hammer for gripping and holding the nail in driving position and permitting the nail to be started in the work by a blow of the hammer, after which the nail may be released from the hammer gripping means and the nail driving action continued in the usual manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nail gripping attachment for the hammer, permitting the driving of the nail into inaccessible places where it is ordinarily impossible to hold the nail b y hand, in position for driving the same into the work by the hammer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of a simple and practical construction which is neat and attractive in appearance, eficient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which the same is intended.

Qther objects and advantages reside in the special construction and combination of the various elements comprising the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the hammer head, constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, and

Figure 3 is an end elevational view.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 illustrates a claw ham mer of the usual type, having a handle 6 carried thereby. To one side of the hammer is arranged the nail gripping attachment constituting my invention and composed of a stationary segment 7 fixedly secured to the hammer in any suitable manner, as for instance, by casting the same integrally therewith, one edge of said segment being substan tially flat as indicated at 8, and extending in a plane substantially longitudinally with the handle 6. The edge of the stationary 1928. Serial No. 281,540.

segment, nearest the head of the hammer, is curved throughout its length as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. To the side of he hammer adjacent the flat edge 8, is arranged a complementary segment 9, likewise having a flattened edge 10, disposed adjacent the flattened edge 8 of the stationary segment, the segment 9 being pivotally mounted to the side of the hammer by a screw or pin 11. It will be observed that during the use of the hammer that should a glancing blow be struck by the head and the segment come into contact with the work, the pivoted segment will be protected from injury by the stationary segment, since the latter is positioned nearest the head. In each of the fiattened edges 8 and 10 of the respective seg ments, and adjacent the rearward portions thereof is provided a recess with the recess of each segment disposed immediately opposite each other and within which is seated the opposite ends of a coil spring 12.

The spring 12 operates to force the rear ends of the se ments apart, whereby to force the forward ends thereof in engagement with each other. At the forward edge of each of the segments 7 and 9, and extending inwardly along the respective edges 8 and 10 thereof is arranged a groove 13, the combined grooves of the respective segments being of suflicient size to permit the insertion of the head 14 of a nail 15 therein. The flattened edges 8 and 10 of the respective segments, at a point slightly inwardly from the forward edge thereof is notched, as shown at 16, to compensate for the thickness of the shank of the nail when the head of the nail is disposed within the grooves 13. As clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, the extreme forward end of the segments may thus be closed, while the nail is inserted between the segments and thus the nail is retained in gripping relation thereby, so that the hammer, with the nail gripped thereby may be moved into any position and bystriking the side of the hammer from which the nail is gripped against the work, the nail accordingly will be driven therein without requiring the nail to be held by the hand of the operator duringthe driving operation. As soon as the ill nail has been driven sufiiciently into the Work to obtain a firm hold therein, the hammer may be removed therefrom merely by drawing the same rearwardly.

After the hammer has been Withdrawn the nail may then be further driven into the Work in the usual manner. at the side of the hamrner opposite from the segments '7 and 9 is cast an additional driving head 17 of an area substantially equal to that of the combined area of the segments 7 and 9, said heads, in addition to adding extra Weight immediately above the segments 7 and 9 during the driving of the nail gripped therebetween also serves as a driving head at the side of the hammer for use in driving nails where the height in which the hammer n'iay be lifted to deliver the driving blow is limited. The additional driving head 17 further serves to counterl'mlance the weight of the nail gripping segments during normal use of the hammer and is of a Width in excess of the Width of the handle recess of the hammer head whereby to strengthen the side of said head.

It is obvious that the invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications, Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and I accordingly claim all such forms of the device, to which I am entitled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A nail gripping attachment for hammers at one side of the striking face and rearwardly thereof comprising a pivoted segment, a stationary segment interposed between the pivoted segment and the said striking face of the hammer whereby to form a guard for the pivoted. segment to prevent injury thereof by accidental contact With the Work during normal use of the hammer, said stationary segment having its edge nearest the said striking face rounded to deflect blows received by the segment, spring means at one end of the segment yieldably rging their opposite ends together and cooperating nail receiving grooves formed in the edges of the segment at said last named ends.

2. hammer head including a striking face, a nail gripping attachment at one side of the head and rearwardly of the striking face and comprising a pivoted segn'ient, a stationary segment interposed between the pivoted segment and the striking face Whereby to form a guard for the pivoted segment to prevent injury thereof by accidental contact with the W rk during use of the striking face, said segments cooperating to releasably hold a nail in position for driving and an auxiliary striking face fixedly carried at the side of the hammer opposite from said nail gripping attachment and substantially equal in Weight to the gripping attachment to counterbalance the said attachment.

3. A hammer head including astriking face,

a nail gripping attachment at one side of the head and rearwardly of the striking face and comprising a pivoted segment, a stationary segment interposed between the pivoted seg ment and the striking face whereby to form a guard for the pivoted segment to prevent injury thereof by accidental contact With the Work during use of the striking face, said segments cooperating to releasably hold a nail in position for driving and an auxiliary striking face fixedly carried at the side of the hammer opposite from said nail gripping attachment and substantially equal in Weight to the gripping attachment to coimterbalance the said attachment, said auxiliary striking face being of a Width in excess of the Width of the handle recess of the hammer and positioned at the side of the head adjacent said handle recess to strengthen the side of the hammer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN L. CLARK. 

